Ocean County, New Jersey’s Pine Beach started as a resort destination along Toms River in the early 1900s. As the community’s population began to grow, residents found themselves feeling underrepresented in their local government. So, after a referendum vote, Pine Beach was born. At the time, there were around 70 citizens; now, there are around 2,100. Proven Contracting has spent a lot of time in Pine Beach installing the roofs over many of those 2,100 heads. Let us show you around!
When was Pine Beach founded?
March 27th, 1925 was when Pine Beach split from Berkeley Township and became its own borough. The first mayor was LeRoy Hutchinson, who, along with six other councilmen, was elected in a special election held on April 21st, 1925.
Who were the Native people who first lived in Pine Beach?
The original inhabitants of what would become Pine Beach, and much of the surrounding area, were the Lenape. European settlers displaced the Lenape in the 1700s. Later, the Lenape were pushed further west by the American Revolutionary War and US independence. The 1800s saw most Lenape forcibly moved to present-day Oklahoma and neighboring areas, which were called “Indian Territory.” According to the 2010 Census, only three people who identified as Native American resided in Pine Beach.
What is the origin of the name Pine Beach?
The roots of Pine Beach’s name are very straightforward: it’s located on Toms River’s beach close to the end of the Pine Barrens.
What is the history of Pine Beach?
Here’s a briefhistory of Pine Beach, courtesy of the Borough of Pine Beach.
In 1908, Robert M. Horter was on vacation at the Windward Yacht Club in River Bank, NJ, when he heard that the land adjacent to River Bank was selling for $10,000 ($287,909.78 in modern dollars). The tract was just a little over half a square mile and extended from the banks of Toms River to the highway (present-day Route 9). The area was bisected by a railroad that connected Philadelphia to Bayhead, NJ.
Horter, a Philadelphia resident, had his mind spinning thoughts of a brand new exclusive summer destination full of waterfront cottages. He pitched the idea to a department store owner named George Kelly, who decided to finance the project, and, by 1909, the Pine Beach Improvement Company was born.
Surveys and maps were drawn up quickly, and soon, on East Sunday, April 11, 1909, the inaugural trip of a special train provided an audience for Horter’s first sales meeting. The train, whose passengers were enjoying a literal free ride, stopped in the middle of the trestle crossing Toms River so that they could appreciate the panoramic view that served as the backdrop for Horter’s pitch. The special train rides worked, and by the year’s end, 109 deeds had been recorded, 22 cottages were built, and by 1910, the 75-room Pine Beach Inn was completed.
For 15 years, Pine Beach was a part of what is now Berkeley Township. In that time, residents of what would later become Pine Beach began to feel that their interests were inadequately represented by the government of Berkeley Township. The quality of the streets was poor, the lighting in town was bad, police and fire protection were barely existent, and people buried their trash in their backyards.
Enough was enough! The Pine Beach Lot Owners Association decided they wanted Pine Beach to be its own town, so on March 27th, 1925, a vote was held that granted Pine Beach its independence. Soon after, Borough officers were elected. The town would go from having an estimated 72 residents in 1930 to around 2,184 in 2019, as estimated by the US Census.
What’s the geography of Pine Beach?
Pine Beach is 0.64 square miles total, with only .01 square miles of water.
What’s the Climate of Pine Beach?
On average, Pine Beach gets 47 inches of rain per year, 13 inches of snow, and has 210 sunny days. The July high is around 84°F and the January low is around 23°F. The BestPlaces Comfort Index rates Pine Beach 7.4 out of 10.
If the temperature is greater than 85 °F or lower than 32 °F, then Proven Contracting is unlikely to perform roof repair. Luckily, Pine Beach has many days withideal weather conditions for roof and gutter system installation. There also aren’t enough full days of sun in Pine Beach for your roof shingle color to matter, so there’s no need to fret about themost energy-efficient asphalt shingle roof color.
What are the demographics of Pine Beach?
According to the 2010 Census, Pine Beach had:
- 2,127 people
- 818 households
- 617 families
And the economic makeup was:
- Median household income was $75,972 (with a margin of error of +/- $10,628)
- Median family income was $88,393 (+/- $8,889)
- Men had a median income of $58,542 (+/- $10,247)
- Women has a median income of $40,781 (+/- $12,701)
- About 1.9% of families and 2.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.0% of those under age 18 and 7.7% of those age 65 or over.
What are the schools like in Pine Beach?
Niche.com is a reputable source for school reviews. Pine Beach students K – 12 attend schools belonging to Toms River Regional School District, which is the school district that serves Toms River Township and other nearby towns. Here’s what Niche.com has to say about Toms River Regional School District.
Toms River School District:
- Overall B
- North Dover Elementary School: B+
- Joseph A. Citta Elementary School: B
- Hooper Avenue Elementary School: B
- Washington Street Elementary School: B
- Cedar Grove Elementary School: B
- Silver Bay Elementary School: B
- Beachwood Elementary School: B-
- Walnut Street Elementary School: B-
- West Dover Elementary School: B-
- Walnut Street Elementary School: B-
- East Dover Elementary School: B-
- Pine Beach Elementary School: C+
- South Toms River Elementary School: C
What are the property taxes like in Pine Beach?
The2020 general tax rate is 2.5%, and the 2020 effective tax rate is 2.088%. New Jersey has a property tax rate of 2.42%, which is the highest in the country (the national average is 1.07%). Theaverage property tax bill for Pine Beach was $6,339, in 2018. The sales tax for the state of NJ is 6.625%.
Proven Contracting recognizes that because the property taxes are so high in NJ that many residents aren’t able to have a new roof or home improvement fund stashed away for when it’s time to find a service professional for everything from a roof leak to a roof replacement. For that reason, we can recommend many different ways topay for a roof with no money. Proven Contracting also offers financing for roof installation. We’ll work together to figure out afinancing plan that works best for your roofing project!
What Exit is Pine Beach on the Garden State Parkway?
Take exit 80 on the Garden State Parkway and merge onto U.S. 9 S/Dover Rd. Continue on U.S.9 S. Then take a left onto Larboard St, a right onto Bayside Ave, and continue onto Springfield Ave into Pine Beach.
Can you get to Philly from Pine Beach?
There are several ways to get to Philly by car from Pine Beach. The most direct routes involve taking NJ-70 W and staying on it for the entire duration of the trip, or going north via 195 and then going south using 95. Whatever route you choose, you should expect the trip to take about an hour and a half.
Is there an NJ Transit bus route in Pine Beach?
- NJ Transit 559 provides transportation between Lakewood and Atlantic City.
Can you boat, fish, or swim in Pine Beach?
There are a few places in Pine Beach to launch boats, such as the Pine Beach Yacht Club and the Pine Beach Boat Ramp. You’ll also find, along Riverside Drive, stretches of boardwalk, opportunities for swimming, and places to fish. You’ll need abadge for some of these activities, which you can find online. Station Avenue Beach, West Beach, and Pine Beach Beach are supervised by lifeguards during the summer.
Parking Permits
- $10.00
- Citizens 62 and over $5.00
Boat Ramp Permit
- January 1st – April 15th $125.00
- As of April 16th $150.00
- One day $ 25.00
- Commercial $1,000.00
Beach/Crabbing Badges
- $10.00
- Citizens 62 and over $5.00
- Children under 12 are Free
What are some things to do near Pine Beach?
Being local and knowing the area well is one of theways to identify a good roofing contractor because we can provide you with local references. We can also suggest some fun things to do in the various nearby towns Proven Contracting services.
Six Flags Great Adventure & Safari park
Found inJackson Township, Six Flags is the second-largest theme park on Earth, second only to Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Six Flags Wild Safari Drive-Thru Adventure has over 1,200 animals from six continents. Six Flags Hurricane Harbor is a water park with everything from wave pools and lazy rivers to tube slides and body slides.
Six Flags Great Adventure has many different rides, including some world record holders. Kingda Ka is the world’s tallest roller coaster at 456 feet, while Zumanjaro is the world’s tallest and fastest drop tower ride. But the crown jewel of Great Adventure is currently under construction: the 13 stories tall, 3,000 foot long Jersey Devil will speed upwards of 58 MPH, making it the world’s tallest, fastest, and longest single rail ride coaster!
Exploring the Pine Barrens in Double Trouble State Park
Located withinLacey Township, with the main entrance in nearby Berkeley Township, Double Trouble lets visitors explore the Pinelands National Reserve (AKA “the Pine Barrens”), an extensive ecosystem of wetlands and oak-pine forests. You can also check out the Double Trouble Historic Village, which contains 14 restored historic structures, including a cranberry sorting and packing house.
Popcorn Park Zoo
Nearby Lacey Township is also home to Popcorn Park Zoo, where abandoned, injured, ill, exploited, abused, or elderly wildlife, exotic and farm animals, and birds can live out their days in peace. The zoo gets its name from the box of popcorn that comes with the entrance fee so that you can feed some of the animals.
Howling Woods Farm
Found in Jackson Township, 501(c)(3) educational facility teaches visitors about wolves. You can also interact with rescued wolfdog hybrids and northern breed canines, known as Spitz dogs (examples include Siberian Huskies and Alaskan Malamutes). All tours require an appointment.
Spring Lake Beach, Boardwalk, & Downtown Spring Lake
Spring Lake has a two-mile-long boardwalk that’s entirely commercial-free except for two snack stands, which is a point of pride for Spring Lake. The Spring Lake boardwalk also directly connects to the boardwalks of the adjacent towns of Belmar and Sea Girt, so you can just keep on walking for miles! From the boardwalk, you can also walk to downtown Spring Lake, which is home to plenty of restaurants, coffee shops and bakeries, gift shops, and more. The beach requires a $10 daily pass.
Surfing in the Manasquan Inlet
Surfers flock to theManasquan Inlet year-round because it directs and enlarges waves. Manasquan also hosts surfing competitions. Manasquan also has a one-mile concrete boardwalk, a beach, and a downtown where you can find boutiques, eateries, gift shops, and more.
Wrapping Up
If you want roofing repairs from a professional roofer that knows Pine Beach as well as a local homeowner does, then look no further than Proven Contracting. The advantage of working with a local company like Proven Contracting is that you can see our expert installation and replacement services in person. You can even visit a roof replacement project in progress. We’re also available to answer thequestions to ask your roofer so we can earn your trust!
